Wall-mountable workstation with articulating arm

ABSTRACT

A wall-mountable workstation for electronic equipment is provided that includes a housing having an electronic equipment storage compartment. A door is connected to the housing and is adapted to move between a closed position in which the electronic equipment storage compartment is closed and an open position in which the electronic equipment storage compartment is open. The workstation also includes an articulating arm having a first end non-movably secured within the housing and a second end adapted to support the electronic equipment for adjustable movement between a user-selected extended position away from the electronic equipment storage compartment and a retracted storage position within the electronic equipment storage compartment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to wall-mountable workstations and towall-mountable workstations that contain electronic equipment, such ascomputer equipment.

2. Description of the Related Art

Wall-mountable workstations that include a security door that may beselectively opened for use and subsequently closed when not in use areknown in the art. Such workstations often house a computer keyboardand/or monitor. When not in use, the security door is closed to securethe keyboard and/or monitor within the workstation housing. Theseworkstations are particularly useful in medical facilities, such as ahospital room, where doctors and technicians demand convenient andsecure access to a computer.

While wall-mountable computing workstations have been well received,conventional designs suffer from a number of limitations. For example,conventional workstations often fix the computer monitor and keyboard ina predetermine position, such as facing the user within the workstationhousing. A fixed configuration limits a user's ability to orient thekeyboard and/or monitor in a convenient position, such as positionfacing a patient during a conversation. For at least this reason,improved wall mountable workstations are desired that overcomelimitations of the prior art.

SUMMARY

A wall-mountable workstation for electronic equipment is provided. In anembodiment, the wall-mountable workstation includes a housing having anelectronic equipment storage compartment. A door is connected to thehousing and is adapted to move between a closed position in which theelectronic equipment storage compartment is closed and an open positionin which the electronic equipment storage compartment is open. Theworkstation also includes an articulating arm having a first endnon-movably secured within the housing and a second end adapted tosupport the electronic equipment for adjustable movement between auser-selected extended position away from the electronic equipmentstorage compartment and a retracted storage position within theelectronic equipment storage compartment.

Other aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart after review of the drawings and detailed description providedbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example,with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wall-mountable workstation accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top, partial cross-sectional view of the workstation of FIG.1, showing a data-display panel and a keyboard in a first extendedposition;

FIG. 3 is a top, partial cross-sectional view of the workstation of FIG.1, showing a data-display panel and a keyboard in a second extendedposition;

FIG. 4 is a top, partial cross-sectional view of the workstation of FIG.1, showing a data-display panel and a keyboard during retraction intothe workstation;

FIG. 5 is a top, partial cross-sectional view of the workstation of FIG.1, showing a data-display panel and a keyboard retracted into theworkstation with the keyboard in a generally horizontal or deployedposition;

FIG. 6 is a top, partial cross-sectional view of the workstation of FIG.1, showing a data-display panel and a keyboard retracted into theworkstation with the keyboard in a generally vertical or storedposition;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the wall-mountable workstation of FIG.1, showing the electronic equipment storage compartment door in a closedposition; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a wall-mountable workstation accordingto another embodiment of the present invention, showing an optionalcomputer CPU storage compartment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a wall-mountable workstation 10 for storingelectronic equipment, such as a keyboard 12 and a data-display panel 14,is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention. In theillustrated embodiment, workstation 10 includes a generally rectangularhousing 16 having an electronic equipment storage compartment 18 forstoring electronic equipment, such keyboard 12 and/or data-display panel14. Workstation 10 may also include an optional computer CPU storagecompartment 20 adapted to store a computer CPU 22 (see, e.g., FIG. 8).Power and/or data distribution cables 24 needed for operation of theelectronic equipment may be routed through one or more holes (not shown)between electronic equipment storage compartment 18 and computer CPUstorage compartment 20, or between electronic equipment storagecompartment 18 and a wall or structure upon which workstation 10 ismounted if not equipped with an onboard CPU 22. However, when equippedwith CPU 22, for example, housing 16 may include at least one coolingdevice 26, such as a vent or fan, to facilitate airflow into and out ofhousing 16 to cool CPU 22 or other electronic equipment.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, workstation 10 also includes an articulating arm28 having a first end 30 non-movably secured within housing 16 and asecond end 32 adapted to support the electronic equipment, such askeyboard 12 and/or data-display panel 14, for adjustable movementbetween a user-selected extended position away from electronic equipmentstorage compartment 18 (see, e.g., FIGS. 2 and 3) and a retractedstorage position (see, e.g., FIG. 6) within electronic equipment storagecompartment 18. In an embodiment, articulating arm 28 is non-movablysecured to a bottom support wall 34 of housing 16 so that workstation 10may be shipped as a complete unit. Alternatively, the wall or structureupon which housing 16 is mounted may function as the de facto supportwall of workstation 10, in which case articulating arm 28 may be mountedto the wall or structure itself within electronic equipment storagecompartment 18.

In an embodiment, articulating arm 28 includes first and secondarticulating arm components 36, 38 separated by a hinge 39. In theillustrated configuration, first and second articulating arm components36, 38 are stacked, one on top of the other, which permits secondarticulating arm component 38 to be pivoted over first articulating armcomponent 36. When so configured, the space occupied by first and secondarticulating arm components 36, 38 in the retracted storage position isminimized (see, e.g., FIGS. 5 and 6). While first and secondarticulating arm components 36, 38 are shown in the drawings as beingsubstantially the same length, it will be appreciated that first andsecond articulating arm components 36, 38 may be different lengthsprovided the electronic equipment and arm components are received withinhousing 16 in the retracted storage position. It is also noted thatarticulating arm 28 may include more than two articulating armcomponents when more adjustable movement of the electronic equipment isdesired, or even a single arm component when only limited movement ofthe electronic equipment is required.

In an embodiment, second end 32 of articulating arm 28 includes akeyboard support tray 40 adapted to adjustably support keyboard 12. Asshown in FIGS. 5 and 6, keyboard support tray 40 may be moved between agenerally vertical or stowed position to a generally horizontal ordeployed position. If CPU 22 supports use of a mouse, keyboard supporttray may also include space for an optional mouse or a mouse holder (notshown).

In an embodiment, second end of articulating arm 28 also includes adata-display panel adjustment mount 42 adapted to adjustably supportdata-display panel 14. As shown in embodiment, data-display panel 14 isattached to mount 42 at a pivot point 44, which permits data displaypanel 14 to pivot relative to mount 42. Mount 42 may also include atleast one adjustment handle 46 that enables a user to grip and movedata-display panel 14 and mount 42 along with articulating arm 28. Mount42 and support tray 40 may be connected to articulating arm 28 at acommon pivot point 48, which enables mount 42 and support tray 40 topivot relative about second end 32 of articulating arm 28.

To securely enclose the electronic equipment within housing 16 when notin use, a door 50 is secured to housing 16 and is adapted to movebetween a closed position (see, e.g., FIG. 7) in which electronicequipment storage compartment 18 is closed and an open position (see,e.g., FIG. 1) in which electronic equipment storage compartment 18 isopen. In an embodiment, door 50 is configured to automatically movetoward the closed position when articulating arm 28 is moved toward theretracted storage position. In one configuration, for example, at leastone pressurized cylinder 52 is positioned between housing 16 and door 50for biasing door 50 toward the closed position (see, e.g., FIGS. 1 and8). Door 50 may also include a locking device 54, such as a key lock, tosecure keyboard 12 and data-display panel 14 within storage compartment18 when closed.

The present invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to the foregoing embodiments, which are merely illustrative ofthe best modes for carrying out the invention. It should be understoodby those skilled in the art that various alternatives to the embodimentsof the invention described herein may be employed in practicing theinvention without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined in the following claims. It is intended that the followingclaims define the scope of the invention and that the method andapparatus within the scope of these claims and their equivalents becovered thereby. This description of the invention should be understoodto include all novel and non-obvious combinations of elements describedherein, and claims may be presented in this or a later application toany novel and non-obvious combination of these elements. Moreover, theforegoing embodiments are illustrative, and no single feature or elementis essential to all possible combinations that may be claimed in this ora later application.

1. A wall-mountable workstation for electronic equipment, comprising: ahousing including an electronic equipment storage compartment; a doorconnected to the housing and adapted to move between a closed positionin which the electronic equipment storage compartment is closed and anopen position in which the electronic equipment storage compartment isopen; and an articulating arm having a first end non-movably securedwithin the housing and a second end adapted to support the electronicequipment for adjustable movement between a user-selected extendedposition away from the electronic equipment storage compartment and aretracted storage position within the electronic equipment storagecompartment.
 2. The workstation of claim 1, wherein the articulating armis non-movably secured to the housing.
 3. The workstation of claim 1,wherein the articulating arm includes first and second articulating armcomponents separated by a hinge.
 4. The workstation of claim 3, whereinthe first and second articulating arm components are stacked.
 5. Theworkstation of claim 3, wherein the first and second arm components aresubstantially the same length.
 6. The workstation of claim 1, whereinthe second end of the articulating arm includes a keyboard support trayadapted to adjustably support a keyboard.
 7. The workstation of claim 6,wherein the keyboard support tray is adapted to move between a generallyvertical or stored position and a generally horizontal or deployedposition.
 8. The workstation of claim 1, wherein the second end of thearticulating arm includes a data-display panel adjustment mount adaptedto adjustably support a data-display panel.
 9. The workstation of claim8, wherein the data-display panel adjustment mount includes at least oneadjustment handle.
 10. The workstation of claim 1, wherein the door isconfigured to automatically move toward the closed position when thearticulating arm is moved toward the retracted storage position.
 11. Theworkstation of claim 1, further including at least one pressurizedcylinder for biasing the door toward the closed position.
 12. Theworkstation of claim 1, further including a computer CPU storagecompartment adapted to store a computer CPU.
 13. A wall-mountableworkstation for a keyboard or data-display panel, comprising: a housingincluding a keyboard or data-display panel storage compartment; a doorconnected to the housing and adapted to move between an open position inwhich the keyboard or data-display panel storage compartment is closedand an open position in which the keyboard or data-display panel storagecompartment is open; and an articulating arm having a first endnon-movably secured within the housing and a second end adapted tosupport the keyboard or data-display panel for adjustable movementbetween a user-selected extended position away from the keyboard ordata-display panel storage compartment and a retracted storage positionwithin the keyboard or data-display panel storage compartment.
 14. Theworkstation of claim 13, wherein the articulating arm is adapted supportthe keyboard and the data-display panel.
 15. The workstation of claim13, wherein the second end of the articulating arm includes a keyboardsupport tray adapted to adjustably support a keyboard.
 16. Theworkstation of claim 15, wherein the keyboard support tray is adapted tomove between a generally vertical or stored position and a generallyhorizontal or deployed position.
 17. The workstation of claim 13,wherein the second end of the articulating arm includes a data-displaypanel adjustment mount adapted to adjustably support a data-displaypanel.
 18. The workstation of claim 17, wherein the data-display paneladjustment mount includes at least one adjustment handle.
 19. Awall-mountable workstation for electronic equipment, comprising: ahousing including an electronic equipment storage compartment; a doorconnected to the housing and adapted to move between a closed positionin which the electronic equipment storage compartment is closed and anopen position in which the electronic equipment storage compartment isopen; and means for supporting the electronic equipment for adjustablemovement between a user-selected extended position away from theelectronic equipment storage compartment and a retracted storageposition within the electronic equipment storage compartment.